


The Choices We Make

by Garbage_Dump



Category: Beauty and the Beast (1991), Disney - All Media Types, Disney Cartoons (Classic), Disney Princesses
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Minor Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-26
Updated: 2018-08-25
Packaged: 2019-07-02 15:33:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 971
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15799425
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Garbage_Dump/pseuds/Garbage_Dump
Summary: What if Maurice never went down the path to the Beast's castle? What if Belle never met the Beast? What if Maurice had made it to the festival on time?





	1. Prologue

  
Free will.

The force that allows anyone to make a choice, whether good or bad. These choices ultimately affecting the flow of time and how the events of the universe unfold.

But...

What happens to the other outcomes?

Everyone must suffer the consequences of their actions.

If not in one timeline...

then in another.


	2. Chapter 2

  
Maurice came upon a split in the path. The directions clearly stated which one to take but the other path looked so much shorter. He had to make sure he made it to the festival on time, so wouldn't it make sense to do whatever is necessary to get there?

He sat a few minutes to ponder but, before he could make up his mind a bone-chilling howl echoed through the woods. His heart sank.

Although he was sure it would be quicker, something in the back of his mind said no.

And so, he turned left onto the intended road and carried on his way, whilst also feeling as if maybe...

Just maybe... he had made the wrong choice.


	3. Chapter 3

"I just don't understand Lefou! How could she reject me like that?"

Gaston slumped in his armchair, lazily gazing into the fire.

"I'm the most wanted bachelor in town. Am I just too intimidating? Too handsome?"

Lefou handed him a beer and sighed.

"I don't know Gaston. Your everything a girl could want and MORE! Maybe she just doesn't deserve you."

"It's not about deserving Lefou! She's THE most beautiful girl in town. There is no way I'll find anyone as good as she and I refuse to have anyone that is second best."

"Well..." Lefou pouted, "Maybe there IS a girl that's better than her. I tell ya what. Tomorrow at the festival we'll go looking for a better broad. What do ya say?"

Gaston rolled his eyes.

"FINE. I'll try..."

Lefou patted him on the back.

"That's the spirit!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They had been there for hours scanning through the crowd, trying to find any girls that stood out, to no luck. Gaston knew it was too good to be true. No one could compete with Belle's beauty. Maybe it was time to think of a new way to get her back.

And speaking of Belle, Gaston managed to spy her inane father Maurice talking with the inventors guild behind some nearby booths.

He nudged Lefou in the head and pointed in their direction. As if he already knew what to do, he sauntered over to the booths to listen in on their conversation.

"...and of course she'll be ready for a demonstration once it's time for the judging."

"Well, we are already very impressed Maurice! This might finally be the year you win and take home the prize."

"I sure hope so! Me and Belle are on our last bit of savings, so if this falls through I might have to pick up a second job..."

"But you simply can't do that to yourself Maurice! You're not as young as you used to be and winter is slowly approaching. What if something happens to you?"

"I will do whatever it takes to help my daughter. Even if it means putting myself at risk for her..."

Lefou gasped and scurried back to Gaston, repeating everything he had heard.

"So, the old man really needs this huh..."

Gaston rubbed his chin in contemplation.

He had already known that Maurice was starting to get frailer with his old age but the money situation was completely new to him. Maybe he could use this to his advantage.

Gaston was one of the richer men in town, so money hadn't been a problem for him. But if the old man didn't win this and started working himself to death. Maybe there would be a chance Belle would reconsider and marry him to support her father.

"I've got it Lefou! Here's what we'll do..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They waited until both the judge and Maurice were away from the contraption. Then they quickly sauntered up to the machine to engage their plan.

One by one they twisted the gears loose as far as they could to the ends of the spokes that held them in place, and once they were finished they hid among the crowd and waited for the judging to begin.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The contest had run pretty long this year. Many inspired minds had entered in hopes of winning the grand prize. But none were as excited as Maurice. Finally, he felt as if he had a chance with his automatic wood-chopper. 

"...next up is Maurice with his revolutionary wood-chopping machine! No longer will you have to strain to make firewood with this miraculous device."

He pushed his machine into the center of the crowd, stoked the flames of the furnace, placed a log of wood under the ax arm, and confidently threw down the switch.

At first, it fired up quite smoothly, chugging along at a brisk pace. But before the ax swung down the gears slipped off of their rungs. The pieces of the machine began to fall apart and, as it forced the ax down, the arm flew off launching itself into the terrified crowd.

Everyone managed to run out of the way except for one unlucky bystander who, before he could react, was cleaved in the foot with the ax.

A select few rushed off to get a doctor while others stood by and watched as the man writhed on the ground in pain.

Maurice crumpled to the ground, his hands covering his face.

"W-what have I done..."

The judges stood up furiously.

"This is the final straw! Maurice, you are hereby banned from the guild and are prohibited from summiting any more of your dangerous inventions at this festival. Do not ever come back."

Maurice continued to sit frozen on the ground.

He had just lost his last chance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (So... It's not perfect. There is something wrong with what I've written but I can't quite put my finger on it. If you have any suggestions on how to fix it or make it better please comment. I already have a rough idea of how the story will ultimately play out, it just needs some trimming around the edges.)


End file.
